Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 17:41:43 EDT From: Bwstories8@aol.com Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Boo 6, chapters 19 - 20 Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 6 by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 19 -- Making Room at Our 'Inn.' **Author's Note:** Please read the disclaimer in Chapter 00 before you read this. December is always a very busy time for us, but it was even more so, now that I was also serving as acting-superintendent. Not only are the winter sports programs in full swing, but there is also a wide array of special programs and concerts being held to celebrate the holidays. As superintendent, I am expected to support and attend as many of these activities as possible, which only adds to the bustle and confusion. When you place these demands on my time on top of my seasonal family obligations, such as Christmas shopping, attending various parties and social functions, decorating the house and planning our own Christmas celebration, it was nearly overwhelming. If that wasn't enough, this year I also had Cody's medical problem to deal with and his treatments had started at the beginning of the month. The first thing the doctor did was to collect some good blood cells and bone marrow from Cody. Once these cells were harvested, they would be frozen until needed, and that wouldn't be until Cody's chemotherapy treatments were completed. The cells would then be reintroduced into his system, to encourage his body to replicate the good cells and create more. Eventually, it was hoped they would then replace the damaged cells destroyed by the chemotherapy. I'm not sure exactly what I thought chemotherapy meant, but I guess I suspected Cody would be taking a very large amount of pills, which would contain strong drugs that would kill the diseased cells. However, this wasn't exactly the case. Instead of taking pills, the drugs were administered intravenously. A needle injected the drugs directly into the space around the spinal column, where it would do the most good. I'm sure this was as painful as it looked, even though Cody endured the entire process like a trooper. To my amazement, he only flinched slightly and made a low whimpering sound when the needle was first introduced, but beyond that, you'd never know he was enduring an excruciating procedure. His courage astounded me more and more every day. At first, Cody showed no signs of side effects from the treatments, but that soon changed. Although it was hardly noticeable in the beginning, Cody did tire very easily, even when he hadn't done much. What I didn't know was that he was often nauseous and frequently vomited, something he never informed me about. I only discovered this by accident one evening, when I walked by one of the bathrooms and heard someone puking. When I went in to see whom it was and offer my assistance, I discovered Cody slumped over the bowl, while he retched the contents of his stomach into the porcelain depository. "Cody, are you all right?" I asked. I guess he hadn't heard me enter, because he jumped a little when I spoke. Then he rolled his head slightly to one side, so he could look at me from over the edge of the bowl. "I'm fine. You don't need to worry," he stated, less than convincingly. "But that's part of my job as a father, to worry about his children," I replied. "Is this the first time this has happened?" "Not really," he confirmed. "It's happened before." He was looking into the toilet as he answered me, but I wasn't sure if it was because he felt another wave of nausea coming on or he just didn't want to face me and answer my questions. "Why didn't you ever tell me about this?" I demanded, softly. "There was nothing you could do to stop it, so I didn't want to worry you," he explained. Although I appreciated his logic, I had to let him know I didn't find this acceptable. "Like I said, that's part of my job and I want… no, I need to know what's happening with you, especially now. So will you fill me in on what's been going on?" I may have said this more harshly than I anticipated, because it elicited a very shocked expression from him. "Okay, but it isn't that bad and doesn't happen that often," he insisted. "I've been throwing up once in a while, but not very much. It's just my stomach gets all upset and I know I'm going to barf, but I didn't want anyone else to know. I'm sorry, if it wasn't the right thing to do." "It's okay, Cody, but please let me know everything that happens to you in the future," I urged. "I need to be aware of these things, no matter how small or insignificant they seem to you. Okay?" "Yeah. I'll tell you everything from now on," he agreed. After getting that settled, the two of us went to the family room to watch some TV and talk some more. As soon as I sat down in my chair, Cody crawled onto my lap and cuddled up against my chest. "Are you comfy?" I asked him. He just tilted his head upward and smiled. "I am now," he told me. Seeing how relaxed and happy he was, I was determined to give him as much of my attention as I could while he was going through this. Maybe it would help him endure his treatments and the ensuing bouts of nausea better. He certainly seemed content sitting with me like this and maybe it's exactly what he needed. He's been lacking a father-figure all of his young life, so this might put him in a better psychological frame of mind and help get him over the hurdles he'll be facing along the way. Over the next few days, Cody also filled me in about some of the other things that had changed. He admitted he felt tired much of the time, even more now than before. I told him it was probably due to a combination of things, including the chemotherapy and his body adjusting to the elimination of the diseased cells. I informed him this should improve over time, but we'd call the doctor and mention it to him, just to be sure. Reluctantly, he gave in to my judgment concerning this matter and agreed to let me make the call. When I got in touch with the oncologist, he told me not to worry about either the vomiting or tiredness, as those were normal reactions to the chemotherapy. He then went on to advise me that he would inject Cody's healthy cells back into his body shortly after the first of the year, probably near the end of January. I thanked him for his help and the additional information, before I passed the news along to Cody. Cody seemed pleased to learn he might get though this fairly quickly and it could be over by the end of January. I think he believed it would take much longer than that, but I didn't want to disillusion him by telling him it still might. I also informed him he should be able to enjoy the holidays before that phase of his treatment began, so maybe he wouldn't be so tired or nauseous during this joyous time of the year. He thought about what I'd said for a few minutes, before he let the issue drop completely, but now he knew a little more about what he'd be facing and when. Cody and I spent a great deal of time together throughout December and he accompanied me to see each of the school concerts and holiday plays. He thoroughly enjoyed them, especially when some of the other boys were in them too. Besides those events, we also went to watch a few basketball games, a couple of wrestling matches and the girls' volleyball team compete. Cody seemed to enjoy everything we did and thought they were fun, but he was always pressed very tightly against my side the whole time -- his choice, of course. Although it was a very busy time, we did manage to squeeze everything in. It seemed the entire family was very fond of the concerts, since there is nothing better than watching and listening to a bunch of little kids perform. However, when they're belting out Christmas songs, it only magnifies the joy. Some of these concerts even turned into community sing-alongs, where everyone was encouraged to join in on a few of the holiday selections with the other participants. This was usually done at the end of the concert, in lieu of an encore. This was particularly enjoyable, especially when you were able to do it with your family. It made the spirit of the holiday season more personal and enjoyable, as you belted out the lyrics of some of your favorite carols and holiday songs. I get such a special thrill out of doing this each and every Christmas season that I hope this memory dominates my thoughts when it comes time for me to take my final breath on earth. For me, there would be no better way to go meet my maker than while reliving the memory of these marvelous times. My only problem with the holiday season is that every year it gets more difficult to figure out what to get the boys. Even though I try to be practical about their presents, since I don't want to spoil them by providing everything they desire, this year was especially challenging. I was at a loss as to what to get them as a special gift, even after asking for suggestions from the boys themselves. Hoping to come up with an idea I liked and they'd appreciate, I talked the problem over with Jake. Unfortunately, he couldn't come up with anything either. As it got closer to Christmas with each passing day, the realization that I still didn't have a clue gnawed at me more and more. I couldn't help but wonder if this would be the year they just got clothes and a few small items from me, rather than what I usually did. If that happened, it would be a very disappointing holiday, indeed. When I awoke on December 23rd, I still had no idea what to get them. Even knowing I had only two shopping days left didn't spur me on. I still couldn't think of anything I wanted to do for them. That night, after many of the boys had gone to bed, I sat down with Jake to discuss this once more. We were kicking around ideas and weighing our limited options, when I heard the fire whistle go off. I was hoping the emergency was only something small, like a kitchen blaze or small brush fire, but when a second alarm went off a few minutes later, I knew this wasn't the case. Instinctively, I raced to my bedroom, where I had a scanner and turned it on. Although I seldom used it, sometimes it came in handy to learn what was going on and what I heard shocked me. It was a house fire and the home was fully engulfed. I gleaned what bits of info I could about this tragedy by listening to the bits of conversations between the dispatcher and those at the scene. That's when I heard the local fire company was asking for support from two nearby communities. Hearing this, I felt I had to go and see if there was anything I could do, so I asked Jake to join me. We got into the van and headed toward the address I'd heard mentioned earlier, but I had no idea what I assistance I could offer that the fire department couldn't. When we arrived, the house was already beyond saving and all the firemen were doing was to merely contain the fire and keep it from spreading to a shed and small barn that stood nearby. I learned later that the barn housed a few animals and the shed was used to store some of the owner's tools. As I looked around, I noticed a group of people huddled together, off to one side, and I immediately recognized them. They were three of my former students and their parents. I went over to them, to see if there was anything I could do to help, but they were too distraught to speak. I certainly could understand why, since they had just watched nearly everything they owned go up in flames. It would be bad enough to just have this happen, but at this time of year it was far worse. When they were able to talk about it, I learned all their unopened Christmas presents had also been destroyed by the quick-moving blaze. "I'm so sorry," I told them, "and I hope you will allow my family to try to help make your situation better." They all turned toward me as I spoke, but their father was the only one who was able to respond. "Mr. Currie, thank you so much for your offer, but I don't know how you're going to be able to help after this," he reasoned. "We just lost our home, almost everything we owned and even a couple of our pets in that fire. I'm just thankful the dog alerted us to the situation with his barking, so I was able to get my family out safely." "I'm very thankful for that too," I agreed, "but do you have a place to stay tonight?" "I've heard some people talking about putting us up in a motel tonight," he replied, "but nothing is definite at this point. We'll just have to wait and see." "Then you and your family will stay with us," I offered. "We have a very large house and the boys will double up, to make room for you. Your daughters can share one room, your son will be put up in another and you and your wife will use my room." "Oh, no, Mr. Currie. We could never do that," he objected. "You will. I insist," I responded. "It is not that big of a deal and my family will be happy to do what we can for you. Tomorrow we'll check around and see if we can find you something more permanent, at least until you can figure out what you're going to do. Was the house insured?" "Yes, but I doubt it will be enough," he told me, while grimacing. "I've been a little negligent and haven't updated the amount of coverage in many years. Basically, it's still insured for what it was appraised at fifteen years ago." "That's not surprising," I commiserated. "I'm sure this has happened to many people. It's easy to forget to increase your coverage, but at least you will get something out of this. Don't worry though. We'll help you find a way to cover the rest. You know I have many contacts and I'll use them all, if I have to." "Thank you, Mr. Currie," he told me, while shaking my hand. "You've always been really nice to my family and I know my kids think the world of you." "As I do of them," I replied. "They were always very good students and a pleasure to have around. Now, I want everyone to hop into my van and Jake and I will take you to our place. If there's anything you want to bring with you, grab it now and we'll be on our way. I'll let the fire chief know you're going with me." "Thank you, but there's nothing left to take" he explained. "All we have is what we're wearing. Even these blankets aren't ours. The firemen gave to us to keep warm." "Okay, then I want you to get into my van and Jake will start it up and turn on the heat. I'll let those in charge know you're going with us and I'll return their blankets in a few days." While Jake was helping the family into the van, where they could warm up, I searched out the fire chief and one of the police officers on the scene. I let them know I was taking the family to spend the night with us and they quickly agreed they had all they needed from them and it would be fine. They also thanked me for doing this, but I merely responded it was Christmas and I was just making sure there was room at our 'inn' for this family. They smiled in acknowledgment and I went to join the others. When we got home, I ushered the family into the family room, while Jake and I shuffled people around. Jake hurriedly moved a bunch of our things, so we wouldn't have to bother the couple later. He moved my things in with Cody and Graham, since I asked if I could spend the night with them. That way, I could also keep an eye on Cody. Jake moved in with Shannon and Nick and I was sure that pair would be more upset with the intrusion than the two I'd be staying with. The thing was, Shannon was Jake's son and I knew he wouldn't tell his father 'no.' It worked out that we didn't have to move very many boys, but we did ask some of them to double up. Cole agreed to stay with Sammy and Andrew, which opened up a room for the two girls, and Dustin agreed to stay with Pat, so their son would have a place of his own. Once the parents were settled in to the master bedroom, it turned out to be a very peaceful night. I had anticipated spending the evening on one side of the bed, while Cody and Graham snuggled together on the other, but that's not quite what happened. I had only been in bed for a few minutes, when I felt Cody move over and snuggle up against my side. As soon as his body was next to mine, he draped his arm across my chest and Graham cuddled up behind him, with his arm slung across Cody and his hand touching my chest too. When I looked down at Cody, to see what he was up to, I noticed he was smiling at me. Even in the faint glow of the moonlight that filtered into the room, I could see Graham was also grinning. I wondered if they'd had enough time to discuss this, after I asked if I could stay with them for the night, and concluded they must have. Neither seemed bothered by my intrusion, so I figured it was nothing to worry about. I really didn't sleep much that night. Instead, I spent most of my time watching this pair, to see how they were interacting and holding up. Relying solely on my limited observations, it was evident they were no longer merely individuals and more than just friends. These two were committed, inseparable and more concerned about the other person's comfort and well-being than their own. I was truly impressed by the depth of their relationship. They now formed a couple, although I wasn't sure how deep their bonds went, but I was glad Cody wasn't going to have to go through his ordeal alone. At various times, I would notice one or the other wake up, and since they didn't realize I was also awake, they would start fussing over their partner. They would do all sorts of things, such as using their fingers to brush the hair out of their partner's eyes or off their forehead, or they might kiss the other sweetly on the cheek or forehead. Once they had done that, they would then cuddle back against the other and soon drift off to sleep again. They spent most of the night wrapped up in each other's arms, although Cody had shifted some of his affection to me too. Since there was no way I wanted to interfere with what they felt for each other, I decided I'd have to find somewhere else to sleep for the next few nights, until the family left. The next morning, I sat down with the parents, while their kids were still asleep. They told me how they had done all their Christmas shopping and everything was in the house when it went up in flames, so their biggest worry was about how this would ruin the holidays for their children. I told them not to worry about it, because I had a solution figured out and I'd be happy to explain everything to them, as soon as we'd eaten our breakfast. As soon as they were seated at the dining room table and consuming their first meal of the day, I took Jake aside and asked him if he'd be willing to take care of some things for me. He agreed he would, so I quickly filled him in on my plan. After I'd done that, we returned to the dining room and sat down to eat too. Once all of us had finished our breakfast, Jake told the parents to get ready and he'd take them shopping. They quickly informed him they had no money to buy more presents, but he advised them we were going to pay for everything. They began to object, but we cut them off and insisted we weren't about to take no for an answer. We wanted to make sure their children had something nice to cling to during this time of loss and disaster. There was no way we were going to allow them to only have bad memories about this blessed time of year. Although they finally gave in, they explained they would pay us back, as soon as they could. I wasn't going to spend more time arguing with them about this, so I merely ignored their offer and sent them on their way with Jake. Once they were gone, I also left the house for a short time to check on a few things I had thought of while I lay awake the previous night. When I returned home a short time later, I quickly rounded up our three young guests, so I could take them shopping too. I wanted to have them buy something nice for their mom and dad, because I didn't want the adults to only have negative reminders of this holiday season either. We left before Jake and their parents returned and I told my sons to tell the grown-ups that their children were just helping me run some errands. I had told Jake to let the parents spend between a thousand and fifteen hundred dollars, but I suggested he also guide them in making their selections. I wanted them to buy the kids an assortment of new clothes, but I also wanted them to get games and other things to entertain them. I felt it was important for the children to have some toys and other fun things to enjoy. I asked Jake to impress upon the parents that we weren't just trying to help them have the basics, but we wanted them to regain a bit of normalcy to their lives too. Since they needed almost everything at this point, their choices were limitless. I basically told the kids the same thing and urged them to pick out some clothes for their parents, including nice winter jackets. I told them we could guesstimate their sizes, and if we were wrong, they could always return the items later and get something in their own size. Once we'd finished making those selections, I had the children buy them a few other items, like jewelry for their mother, an electric razor for their father and a television they all would get some use out of later. The children thanked me several times, although they did ask why I was doing so much for them. I merely responded, 'Merry Christmas.' When we got back home, we left everything in the van and went inside. Both groups looked happy and I knew they were pleased about what they had been able to do for each other. Even though they might have been a little dismayed about having to rely on our generosity to accomplish this, I was sure they'd get over it as soon as they saw each other open those gifts. Now, I got all of our guests together again, loaded them into the van and drove out to a place I happened to know about. I had called the owner earlier, and then went over to pick up the key, so I could see if it was something the family might be interested in. I knew this place had been vacant and for rent for some time, but I thought it just might meet their needs. Even though it wasn't in the same general location as the house that had burned, it was a roomy four-bedroom home. It was older and not the most modern or fancy, but it wouldn't be very different from their old home. I hoped they might find it suitable, at least until they could get their insurance money, and then they'd be able to make their own arrangements. As I walked them through the house, they talked amongst themselves, saying who could have which room or what they might do to spruce it up. Hearing their comments, I had the feeling this place was going to suffice. When they were done looking around, they thanked me for showing it to them and then the father wanted to talk to me about how they'd afford to pay for it. I quickly told him not to worry about the finances, as I was going to have the Castaway Foundation pay the first six months rent for them. I informed him the foundation would also pay for them to get some furniture, to make the house livable. Everything had already been arranged and they were to go to a local furniture store to pick out beds, living room and dining room sets and a few other, smaller pieces. We were also going to take them to a local retail store to pick out everyday dishes, silverware, bath linens, bed linens, some cookware and a few basic appliances. That would give them enough to be on their own once more. They all continued to thank us, repeatedly, as we went from place to place, and the only problem we encountered was that the furniture couldn't be delivered for two days, until the day after Christmas. I told them they would stay with us until then and celebrate Christmas with our family, when they began to balk. They said they didn't want to ruin our Christmas by imposing on us for so long, but I told them their arguments were useless. We wouldn't have it any other way. Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 6 by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 20 -- Seasons Greetings. It just happened that my biological children had come home for Thanksgiving this year, so they were spending Christmas with their in-laws. We had already made arrangements for us to all get together on the third weekend in January instead, so we could celebrate our Christmas with them at that time. It couldn't have worked out better. On Christmas Eve we got a phone call from Ricky, but it was already Christmas day there. He was excited and wanted to wish us all a Merry Christmas, but he also wanted to thank us for our gifts. He had waited until the proper day to open them, not only because he didn't want to be without presents on Christmas morning, but he also wanted to share his excitement with his family when he unwrapped them. We were happy to hear from Ricky and everyone spoke to him individually. We also filled him in about our unexpected houseguests. Ricky made some sort of remark that he should have guessed we'd do something like that and then he told me he knew one of the girls. After telling me which one, he asked me to pass along his heartfelt sympathy over their loss. I told him I would and then we said good- bye. Needless to say, the family was impressed that Ricky had thought of them and offered his sympathy, but the daughter said it sounded just like him. Even though he was a jokester, she said he always had a good heart and was often concerned about others. She told me to thank him the next time we spoke and her parents concurred. I guess my Ricky was more highly regarded than I knew. Christmas morning was a great deal of fun. I think our guests were shocked that we didn't really overdo the present thing, since they considered us rich. Their first surprise was when they discovered the boys all chipped in and bought only one gift for each brother. I think they were also amazed to see they had just as many gifts to open, if not more, than we did. It was wonderful to see the expressions on each of their faces as they opened every gift or commented about something one of my boys had unwrapped. No one was in a big hurry to open his or her presents, so we took our time and enjoyed every moment. Besides the clothes and a couple of special items each boy had asked for, I included one other present for them. Although I didn't have these items as of yet, I gave each of them an envelope explaining what their extra gift was. "In light of recent events in our community," their letter read, "my last present to you is to keep you safe. Knowing most of your bedrooms are on the second and third floors of our house, I have become suddenly aware of the risks involved, if we were to find our home in flames. Due to this fact, I have purchased chain ladders for each room on the upper two floors, and our carpenter will be building a nice box under the window in each room, where this ladder will be stored and anchored. "The bedrooms on the first floor will be equipped with an easy to open, swing out emergency window, to make sure no one will get trapped inside, should we ever have a fire. These devices are to be used for emergencies only and aren't meant to enable you to sneak away for secret sexual encounters or other such activities. This gift is from the heart and because I love each of you. I will do everything in my power to make sure nothing ever happens to any of you, so I hope you accept this gift in the spirit it was given. Love, Dad/Pop" Although many young people might not have thought this was a suitable gift, my boys realized my intent and thanked me for it. They understood I was doing what I thought best to protect them and provide a way from them to escape in an emergency, if we should experience something similar to what this other family had faced. Although I could probably have done this as other than a gift, I felt it might mean more this way and I think it did. Our guests were also quite moved when they saw what I had given my sons and the father told me he planned to do the same thing for his family, although he hoped they'd never have to use them. I agreed, but we both knew it was better to be safe than sorry. After the last of the presents had been opened, we prepared for the big Christmas meal. We knew our extended family would be arriving in just a couple of hours, so Jake and I set about getting everything ready. The mother came in and insisted on helping us, so rather than spend time explaining that we could handle it, we let her do her thing wherever she thought she could help. When the meal was served, we said grace and thanked God for keeping all of them uninjured in the fire. Then their father asked if he could add his own blessing, and when I agreed, he thanked God for making sure there were people in this world, such as us, who were there to help others in their hour of need. Then he told us personally how much he appreciated what we'd done and emphasized we had helped prevent this from being the worst holiday they had ever experienced. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and talking to everyone. I made it a point to introduce our guests to our extended family and let them get better acquainted. Over time, they got to know the Spences, Shays, Beckers and Sally, as each of them made their own offer of support, to help the family get through the transitional period. The parents thanked them for their thoughtfulness, but told them we had already taken care of nearly everything to make it possible for them to start over. I could tell the boys also felt really good about helping this family and they spent a great deal of their time entertaining the kids. They played games and watched movies with them until nearly bedtime and it was enjoyable to see. I could tell my boys were pleased we were able to help them, but it was obvious they made it a point to do something on their own. I was very proud of them. Before we went to bed, Jake, the parents and I set up an action plan for the next day. We all realized there was still a great deal to be accomplished before they'd be on their own again and I didn't want to forget or overlook anything. After we compiled the list, our guests went to bed. They understood tomorrow would be a long and busy day. After they turned in, Jake, the boys and I got some supplies together, so we'd be ready to go as early in the morning as possible. We didn't want to waste time searching for the items we needed at the last minute or discover we had forgotten something. Once everything was set, I sent the boys to bed too, as I wanted them fresh and ready to go when I woke them. There was going to be a lot for all of us to do before the day was over and I didn't want them to tire out prematurely. The boys were fairly good-natured about what I asked them to do, but I think that was because they were excited about helping the family too. It was also the major reason I didn't questioned if they'd be able to pull their own weight when the time came. The next morning, we all got up early and ate breakfast, before we loaded everyone in either the van or the suburban. We then drove to the house we had rented for them. Seeing it had been vacant for such a long time, it needed a good cleaning, so we pulled out all of our supplies and went inside. Everyone was assigned a room or rooms to clean and the family split up to assist us with the area that was most important to them. The wife started in the kitchen. After telling each person what she was making them responsible to clean, she went to work on the refrigerator and stove. When the others announced they'd finished, she checked every nook and cranny to be sure it was spotless, before she allowed them to do anything else. Once she was satisfied with everyone's effort, she directed the placement of the dishes, utensils and appliances. The husband focused his attention on the living room and dining area, while the kids primarily concerned themselves with the room that would be theirs, once they moved in. The cleaning went quickly and quite smoothly, and the wife was about to check on how well Jake an I had done in the bathroom, before putting away the towels and other linens. She was not quite finished when the delivery truck from the furniture store arrived, but she stopped to direct the unloading of the various furnishings. The larger, more muscled members of the group went out to help the driver and his assistant. They carried everything in to the house, placed it where the mother directed and also set up the beds, once they were in the appropriate rooms. Soon the furniture store employees left and we finished moving the last of the items into their proper places. Now that everything was done and they were settled in to their new home, we said our good-byes to our new friends. We wished them the best of luck, but I told them I'd be back, so they could tell me what they wanted to do on a permanent basis. Before we drove away, the family thanked us several times. Not only did they verbalize their gratitude, each of their children also went out of their way to go around and thank each of my boys, Jake, and me separately. They either hugged us or shook our hand and said this was to let us know how much they appreciated all of our help and for how good we were to them. This meant a great deal to each of us, but we told them it was just our chance to practice the true meaning of Christmas, by helping someone less fortunate or in need. Christmas was supposed to be more than just giving your family more things they really didn't need in the first place. I suspected that as my sons grew older, they would look back on this experience and tell me, or their spouses and children, that this was the best Christmas they had ever celebrated. It sure makes you feel good inside when you've been able to help someone else, especially someone who really needed it at the time. Over the course of the next week, we checked in on the family a couple more times and they seemed to be doing very well in their new home. They were happy, comfortable and getting used to remembering where they were. Yes, the parents admitted to absentmindedly driving to their old address, once they'd replaced the vehicle that was destroyed in their garage, and it took some time to get used to driving to their new residence. As the week came to an end, we prepared for our New Year's Eve celebration, which wasn't going to be very big or elaborate this year. We did plan to go out to dinner and then to a movie, before we returned home to bring in the New Year together. We'd do that by toasting each other with a little wine, which was a special treat I let the boys partake in each year. The youngest boys would be allowed a half-glass each, while the middle group could have a whole glass and the older boys (still under the drinking age) would be allowed up to two glasses. I had always tied this to their age and level of maturity. Those who had love interests outside the family were told they could also invite them to join us, but their parents would have to give me written permission if they were willing to allow their children to drink the wine with us. Later, I was informed a couple of their girlfriends would be joining us also, but basically, this would just be a family/extended family gathering. Ricky called us before noon on New Year's Eve day, to wish us all a Happy New Year. They had already entered the New Year in Australia, so he was really calling to gloat that he had beat us to it. He asked what we were planning to do and we told him. Then he told us what he had done. Ricky had gone to a small youth celebration, held by the school he was attending, and he had a good time. That was because he had received a New Year's kiss from Kylie at midnight. When I asked them if that was all he received, he merely replied, "Wouldn't you like to know?" and then he giggled. He continued to evade answering my question directly and turned the conversation to talk about his travel plans for January. He also reminded me that he'd be home within a month, but I found it hard to believe the time had gone by so quickly. I told him we all wanted him to have fun, be careful and hurry back. He agreed and that's how we ended the conversation. The day passed quickly and it was soon time to leave, because we had 6 o'clock dinner reservation at our favorite restaurant. We wanted to get in and out before the rush began and not get caught up in the crowd that would eventually fill the place to overflowing. Our extended family met us there, since they were looking forward to enjoying this special time with us too. Everyone ordered whatever he or she wanted from the menu, but I ordered several appetizers for us to share first. I also had the kitchen send out several serving bowls of salad, so everyone could have as much as he or she wanted. We not only enjoyed each other's company, but we had a really great meal. What more could we have asked for? Once we finished out meal, some of the extended family decided to return to their homes, while the rest of us went to the cinema complex. There, we split up into smaller groups, to see an assortment of different movies. Jake and I went to see the "Two Towers", the second part of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and some of the boys opted to join us. Cody and Graham immediately let us know they were going with us too and Cody also informed me he was going to sit beside me as well. We moved up to the last row of the stadium style theater, because if I sit too close to the screen, everything seems to spin. Jake sat to my right and Cody to my left, with Graham on the other side of Cody. Soon the lights dimmed and the previews started. Jake and I were pretty conservative in public and didn't even hold hands when we were out like this, but I did notice the boys holding hands with each other. Shortly after the previews began, Cody leaned over against my arm and rested his head on my shoulder. I was touched by this move and determined to be the strong father figure Cody needed right now. Maybe it was just that he hadn't had one for so long, or maybe it was because of what he was going through with the leukemia, but he seemed to need me more now, than any of the others. I lifted my arm and wrapped it around his shoulders and he looked up at me and smiled, which let me know he approved of what I was doing. Before long, Cody stood up, moved over and sat on my lap. It seemed he needed more than to just sit beside me and required my attention at the moment, rather than Graham's. When Graham noticed what Cody had done, he moved into Cody's former seat, so they could still hold hands, but he wasn't upset by what had taken place. I believe he understood Cody wasn't rejecting him, but was in need of something else right now. Maybe Cody looked at me as his protector -- the one who made him feel safe and secure. When he needed a lover or someone to bond with on that level, Graham knew he'd be back, so he gave him his space and allowed him to do what he needed. I was very proud of Graham and impressed by his maturity. The movie was excellent and we all enjoyed it immensely. When it was over, we went to the lobby to meet up with the others. Some of us had to wait for quite some time until the other movies were out, but there were games in the lobby, so the boys amused themselves while they waited. When we were all together again, we headed home, to bring in the New Year. The girlfriends stayed with too, as they had planned. Once we got home, we turned on the TV and tuned into one of the national celebrations, so we could see what they were doing and coincide our activities with them. I went around and filled up each person's wine glass as midnight drew near, and when 12:00 hit, we all toasted each other and wished everyone the very best New Year. We celebrated a little longer and had a little more to drink, and then Jake took our guests home, as we promised their families. After the girls left, I encouraged the boys to head to their rooms, but I knew there would be a little more merry-making once they got there. This was to be expected, considering what day of the year it was. I was young once and could still remember the first sex of the New Year, so I wouldn't try to discourage them from doing the same thing. Some of the pairings I expected, like Cody and Graham, Vinnie and Kevin, Danny and Brandon and Trey and Dion, but some of the others came as a mild surprise to me. I really didn't expect it when I saw Sammy was spending the night with Cole. Andrew had conked out shortly after midnight, as he hadn't been feeling very well, and I don't think Sammy wanted to be alone. It appeared he needed some company, and maybe some relief, and obviously Cole had agreed to help out. Nick and Shannon presented another conundrum for me. Although they had been spending a lot of time together, I kept expecting it to end, due to Nick's constant need for new sexual partners. However, he was continuing to astound me. Nick willingly spent most of his time with Shannon, although Jake wasn't entirely thrilled by this arrangement, so I began to wonder if Shannon had found the secret to tame Nick of his wandering ways. Whatever the reason for their spending so much time together, they disappeared and neither of them one complained the following morning. Although I could probably tell you what happened in every room, I will focus on just a couple of those pairings. The first would be Cody and Graham, because they are so devoted to each other, so cute in their innocence and kind of unusual in their approach. Let me explain what I mean. After they got to their room, they kissed a little and started to undress each other. Once Graham had removed Cody's underwear, he raced down the hall to the bathroom, leaving Cody to think he really had to go very badly. When he came back, however, Graham was carrying one of the electric razors we kept for the older boys to use, and Cody kind of blushed when he saw what Graham was holding. Graham plugged it in, turned it on and then had Cody get on the bed, so he could remove what little hair Cody had at this point. Cody's pubic hair was very blond and hard to see, but Graham seemed determined to remove it anyway. When he was done, you would have guessed Cody to be about two years younger than he actually was. I'm not sure if it was a turn-on for Graham or not, but he did seem to enjoy shaving Cody's pubic region and scrotum, and Cody had to show me the next day, so I could see exactly what Graham had done. For some reason, Cody didn't return the favor and, instead, they began to make out. They kissed and groped for a while, before letting their hands wander all over each other, to check out all of the areas of interest to each of them. When he couldn't stand it any longer, Graham slid down and began to run his tongue over the freshly shaved region on Cody's young body. From there, he moved down to lick Cody's throbbing, cut rod, and attacked it like a child would savor a lollipop. After giving the entire area a tongue-bath, Graham began to slide the stiff piece of flesh in and out of his mouth, like someone might do with a Popsicle he was enjoying. It was obvious that Cody was really relishing this type of attention, as his young manhood responded quickly and soon gave up its meager supply of thin, watery cum. Once he had experienced his orgasm, he swung his body around, so he could do the same thing to his partner. Of course, Graham's body didn't give in as quickly to Cody's ministrations, since Graham was a little more experienced at delaying his orgasm. That didn't seem to be a problem, however, and Cody eagerly continued to work on Graham's firm sausage. With the enthusiasm of a frisky puppy, Cody bobbed up and down on it with his lips and tongue and soon Graham was sighing and moaning in pleasure. This let Cody know he must be doing it right. He had been worried up to that point, seeing he had never done anything like this before. Now that Graham was totally into what was happening to him, Cody let his right hand play with Graham's sac and watery orbs, to stimulate him even more. Cody really had Graham squirming on the bed at this point and Graham's floodgates opened, with his cream flooding Cody's mouth and throat. Cody did his best to take it all down, but some did escape his lips and dribbled back onto Graham's crotch. When they'd finished up their session, they cleaned up and cuddled against each other. When I checked on them later, they looked like two little angels wrapped in each other's arms. The other pair I want to focus on is Kevin and Vinnie. Kevin had been hurt many times over the past few years by falling in love with the wrong guy. My goal was to prevent this from happening yet again. Kevin had been hurt deeply by Dustin, when Dustin decided he liked girls more than guys, and he had also been hurt by Nick, when he discovered Nick couldn't be faithful to just one guy. After that, he fell in love with Brent, who was killed in an automobile accident, so I wanted to keep my eye on this situation. I was hoping Vinnie was looking at this for the long term too and not viewing it as just an experimental fling. I have no idea how Kevin would react if he wound up in another relationship that didn't work out for him. Kevin and Vinnie had retired to their room, which was the only other bedroom on the first floor besides the master bedroom. In retrospect, I believe the touch of grapes they had imbibed earlier had made the pair even more affectionate than they normally were, as well as a little giddy. From what I was told, they were both more than a little frisky and very playful. Vinnie, who can be quite aggressive at times, was more than anxious to take control this evening and Kevin decided not to fight for dominance. Instead, he let Vinnie know he was surrendering himself to him, so to speak, by getting on his back and pulling his legs up to his chest. That pretty much told Vinnie what he was in for and showed him his prize. Vinnie didn't need any further invitation and quickly grabbed the lube and greased both of them up, so they were ready for the ultimate act of love. Once the preparations had been completed, Vinnie moved into position and slowly eased himself into his lover. Vinnie was so turned on by what was happening that he ended up mimicking a rabbit in heat and machine-gunned his way to ecstasy. It was over more quickly than Kevin had hoped, even though Vinnie kept pumping in and out of him even after he had ejaculated. It wasn't long after that when Vinnie lost his erection, so there was no way for him to continue. After collapsing for a few minutes and giving himself time to recover and savor the moment of sexual relief, Vinnie let Kevin know he'd be able to enjoy the same pleasure, by getting into position to return the favor. Although he was just as turned on, Kevin went a little slower, using longer and less rapid strokes. He slid in and out of Vinnie for many minutes before his juices began to boil and rise up his shaft. Once he exploded and released his load, the pair cuddled and enjoyed their lingering highs. When the orgasmic bliss began to wear off, they repositioned themselves and prepared to enjoy the rest of the evening, lovingly embraced in each other's arms. E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other 'constructive' comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com - but please put the story title in the subject line, so it doesn't get deleted as junk mail.